Slicer3:Volume Rendering With Cuda

Objectives

Lookout

A Short description of the modules needed to integrate a CUDA based Volume Rendering into VTK

VTK Modules

1. A vtkImageDataReader: to read Volume data as any kind of Volume Data
2. A vtkCudaDataFilter: A Filter to convert from the reader output to a cuda-able DataSet
3. A vtkCudaDataSet: A new vtkDataSet where that holds and handles the data transfer from and to one or multiple CUDA devices.
4. A vtkCudaVolumeMapper: A new vtkVolumeMapper that renders the scene using the
   1. lighting model
   2. a prepared Z buffer
   3. a camera position
   4. A vtkTexture and a Plane to render the result to
5. An actor that places the volume into the scene
6. Chain this pipeline together and attach it to a rendering window.

Tasks

1. Proof of concept
2. Integrate into VTK
   1. Render the output from the code of Nicholas volume render sample into vtkImageViewer
   2. Adapt to Z-buffer
   3. Adapt lighting model
   4. Adapt to input Image
3. Integration into Slicer

Resources

1. For testing purposes: File:Heart256.raw Store this file in Slicer3/Modules/VolumeRenderingCuda/Testing/heart256.raw